Casper students GEAR UP for college
For some, college may seem like an obvious path to take, but it isn't so clear for others, especially when they might be the first in their family to attend.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, more commonly known as GEAR UP, is a national program that tries to show kids that college can be in their future, and there's a center right here in Casper.
The program is designed to help students of lower-income families.
The GEAR UP program is run out of Casper College. Students can get involved in the program as early as seventh grade, and it's even encouraged, according to Regional Director Andrea Covert.
Covert said that they work hard to recruit a strong cohort of students in seventh grade each year so that they can grow with the program.
In the first few years, Covert said that the programs focuses on building positive habits to ensure a good high school career.
Covert said that although the program is only funded to help 280 kids per year, the Casper program is able to over-serve and has 340 students currently enrolled.
The program provides education, college tours, application help, testing assistance and after school programming.
Kelly Walsh High School senior Shane Johnson has been with the program for over three years now.
Despite being in only tenth grade, Shane has his future mapped out and has even started applying for scholarships already.
He wants to go to college for automotive repair and engineering.
But he did not start out this way.
Before he joined GEAR UP, his mother Stephanie said that he didn't really know how he would accomplish his dreams.
Shane will be the first in his family to graduate from college. His mom said GEAR UP has been instrumental to both her and her son in understanding how the college process works.
But the program does more than just introduce kids to college and help with homework.
Shane's confidence has grown tremendously in the last few years, according to Stephanie. She said that he has completely come out of his shell.
Shane's optimism and enthusiasm about life is clear just by talking to him.
While he said that he has always been a happy kid, GEAR UP has helped him be just as happy about his future.
He also said that he has created friends out of people he may not have met otherwise.
The GEAR UP programs in Wyoming are run out of the community colleges across the state with the University of Wyoming overseeing them.
The University of Wyoming recently received $28 million to be dispersed among the state's programs.
Students interested in the program must meet income restriction requirements and be between seventh and twelfth grade.
Allison Allsop is the education and health reporter for the Casper Star-Tribune. She can be reached at 307-266-0544 or . Her Twitter account is Love Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox.
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